Latch mechanism



Dec. 19, 1933.

A. J. FABER LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J: i ler A. J. FABER LATCH MECHANISM Dec. 19, 1933.-

Filed Aug. 1. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 19, 1933 UNITED: STATES PAT NT 1 OFFICE Application August 1, 1932. Serial No. 627,207

9 Claims. (01. 292-255) This invention relates generally to latch mechanism for hinged closures such as the doors of refrigerator cabinets, and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator 10 cabinet with mechanism embodying my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the cabinet and a portion of my latch mechanism;

Figure 2A is a sectional view taken on the line 2A'2A of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2; m

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a slight modification;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-''7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a detail view of the link depending from the pivotal striker element;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the cabinet and showing another modification;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Referring now tothe drawings, A is a refrigerator cabinet of substantially rectangular configuration having suitable supporting legs 1 at the lower corners thereof and having an opening 2 in its front wall 3. B is a door for closing the opening; C are hinges for supporting said door; and D is the door latch mechanism em-. bodying my invention. As shown, the hinge leaves 4 and 5 respectively are fastened to the outer sides of the door and front wall and are corihected together by suitable pins 6. '7 are flangefisockets projecting through the leaves 5 into the front wall 3, and 8 are spring pressed plungers in the sockets 7- and engageable with the hinge leaves 4 on the door to urge the latter outwardly.

The door B may be any suitable construction but preferably has a lateral flange 9 overlapping the front wall 3 of the cabinet at the edges of the opening 2. 10 is a yieldable strip secured view taken on the line closing of the door,

upon the inner side of the flange 9 for engagement with the front wall 3 of the cabinet upon while E is a latch bolt for the door projecting forwardly from said flange 9 upon the outer side of the strip 10. Preferably 0 this latch bolt E comprises a pin' 12 and a roller 13. p The keeper or striker structure of my latch mechanism is preferably carried by the front wall 3 and includes a casing 14, pivotal striker 15 and coil spring 16. As shown, the casing 14 is 05 mounted upon the outer side of the froxit wall 3 and is provided adjacent its upper end with a rearwardly extending portion 17 that is received within the front wall 3 of the cabinet. Any suitable means such as the screws 18 and 19 respec- 7o tively may be used to secure the casing 14 to said front wall. Preferably the casing 14 has a vertically curved or rounded forward edge 20 and is provided in substantially horizontal alignment with the rearwardly extending portion 17 with a $5 horizontally extending elongated slot 21 that opens outwardly through a side wall 22 and the curved front edge 20 of the casing and is adapted to receive the latch bolt E when the door B is in closed position. The striker 15 has a shank 23 30 pivoted in the rearwardlv extending portion 17 of the casing and is provided at'its forward end with a head 24 having a curved. upper edge 25 and a flatrear edge 26. The coil spring 16. is terminally received within opposed recesses 27 35 and 28 respectively. in the striker'15 and casing 14 and normally holds the head- 24 in raised position in the slot 21 so as to be in the path of the latch bolt E. Thus when the door is moved toward closing position the roller 13 of the latch bolt will engage the curved edge 25 of the striker head 24 and will cause the latter to be moved downwardly against the tension of the spring 16.

As soon as the roller 13 passes beyond the curved edge 25 the head 24 will be raised by the spring 16 so that the flat rear edge 26 will be in front of the roller 13. Thus the door B will be held in closed position. In this" connection it will be noted that the flat rear edge26 of the head 24 is inclined somewhat so as to simulate a cam when the head 24 is in raised position in front of the latch bolt and that the strip 10 is carried by the flange 9 of the door in advance oi the latch bolt. Hence the door'B w be cushioned when closed and the pressure exerted by the spring 16 to the head 24 will be transmitted by the cam surface through the bolt E to the door B with the result that a tight seal between the flange 9, strip 10 and front wall 3 of the cabinet will be obtained.

Either a hand lever 30 or a pedal 31 may be used to actuate the striker 15. Referring to Figure 6, the shank 32 of the hand lever is pivoted in the casing 14 and is provided inwardly beyond its pivot with a hooked portion 33 that is received in and engages the lower end of a slot 34 in a link 3% depending from a lug 35 of the striker 15. The pedal 31 is at one side of the cabinet adjacent one of the front legs 1 and has a shank 36 pivoted as at 3'1 to a bracket 38 lastened to the leg 1. A rod 39 is connected to a shank 36 intermediate its ends and extends upwardly, through openings 40, ll and 42 respectively in the top d3 of the leg 1 and bottom and front walls respectively 01 the cabinet, and has a sliding connection with the lower end of the link 34. A coil spring 15 sleeved upon the rod 39 and terminally connected to the shank 36 and top 43 of the leg maintains the pedal 31 at the proper distance fromthe bottom of the cabinet. If desired the handle 30 alone may be used as illustrated in Figure 10, in' which event the hooked portion 33 engages the lower end of a link 34:" depending from the lug 35; the pedal 3]. alone may be used as illustrated in Figure 2, in which event the rod 39 has a sliding connection with a link 44 depending from the lug 35; or both may be used as illustrated in Figure 6. In this connection it will be noted that the construction and arrangement of the link 34 and shank 32 are such that the pedal 31 may be operated without aflecting the lever 30 and that the construction and arrangement of the link 34;, spring 45 and rod 39 are such that the lever 30 may be operated without disturbing the pedal 31. it will also be noted that the bottom 50 of the socket 23 for the spring 16 illustrated in Figure 2 where the .pedal alone is used, is an integral part of the casing 14, whereas in Figures 6, 3 and 10 respectively where the lever 30 is used alone or in combination with the pedal, the bottom 51 of the socket 28 for the spring is in the form of a movable gasket that is located just above the shank 32 so that the lever 30 will normally be held in lowered position. 7

In use when the lever 30 is used to actuate the striker 15, the hooked portion 33, link 34 and head 24 will be lowered against the tension of the spring 16 upon pulling the handle 30 outwardly. As a result the latch bolt E will be released and the spring pressed plunger 8 will urge the door B to open position. Due to the sliding connection between the rod 39 and the link 34'- and the provision of the tension spring 45, the rod 39 and pedal 31 will remain undisturbed in raised position when the striker 15 is actuated as aforesaid by the lever 30. Upon release of the lever 30 the spring 16 will return the handle to normal lowered position. When the pedal 31 is used to actuate the striker 15, the rod 39, link 34' and head 24 will be lowered against the tenslon of the spring 16. As a result the latch bolt E will be released and the spring pressed plunger 8 will force the door to open position. Due to the slotted connection between the link 34' and the hooked portion 33 of the lever 30, the latter will remain undisturbed when the striker 15 is actuated as aforesaid by the pedal 31. When the pedal 31 is released, the spring 16 will return the striker 15, link 34', rod 39 and pedal 31 to normal position. Upon closing the door the sealing strip 10 will abut the front wall 3 of the cabinet and will cushion the door. When moving to closed position the latch bolt E will enter the slot 21 and will ride upon the curved upper edge 25 of the striker, consequently the head 24 nea tar will be lowered against the tension of the spr 21g 16 until the bolt E passes beyond the rear end of said edge 25 whereupon the head 24 will be raised by the spring 16 so that the flat face 26 will be in front of the latch bolt. As a result the door 13 will be held in closed position. Moreover, the construction and arrangement of parts are such that a tight seal is provided between the door B and front wall 3 of the cabinet when the bolt E is in rear of the head 2%.

Thus from the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an extremely practical and efiicient latch mechanism wherein the usual or conventional lock and striker have been eliminated. Instead a simpler and less expensive structure has been provided. My construction is especially useful for refrigerator cabinets. etc., however, it is not limited to such use for obviously it can be used with many other structures wherein closures or hinged members are provided. The

striker l5 and sealing strip 10 function as shock absorbing members so that the door B may be closed easily and with little noise. In this connection it will be noted that the spring 16 has many functions, among them being to hold the head 2% of the striker in position to be engaged the lever 30 in lowered position.

What 1 claim as my invention is: 1. Door latch bolt securing mechanism, including a casing attachable to a suitable support for the door and having a substantially horizontal slot therein for receiving a latch bolt, means for initially cushioning and subsequently holding the latch bolt upon movement thereof into the slot including a striker having a shank pivotally connected to a part of the casing and havinga head movable vertically relative to the slot, a coil spring extending between the head and a lower part of the casing and normally holding the head in horizontal alignment with the slot so as to be in the path of a bolt entering the slot, and means for lowering the head so as to be free of the slot including a member pivotally connected to the lower part aforesaid of the casing beneath the spring and having portions respectively outside and within the casing, and a connection between the striker shank and the portion just mentioned within said casing.

2. Door latch bolt im! a casing attachable to a suitable support for the door and having a substantially horizontal slot therein for receiving a latch bolt, means for initially cushioning and subsequently holding the latch bolt upon movement thereof into the slot including a striker having a shank pivotally connected to the casing and provided at its forward end with ahead that is movable vertically relative to the slot and that is provided with a curved upper edge and a fiat rear edge for successive engagement by the latch bolt, yieldable means associated' with a part of the casing and said head for maintaining the latter in substantially horizontal alignment with the slot so as to be in the path of the bolt entering the slot, and means for moving the head against the tension of said yieldable means. including a link connected to the shank sec mec, i

intermediate the head and pivot thereof, and said links being a'ctuable by the lever and manually operable means connected to said link. movable longitudinally of the other, and means 3. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includassociated with the other of said links for holding a movable latch bolt striker, yieldable means ing said pedal against movement during move- 5 for holding the striker in operative position for ment of the lever. 80

engagement by a door latch bolt,'a hand lever, a 7. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includpedal,' and means operable by either the pedal ing a movable latch bolt striker, a lever, a pedal, or lever for actuating the striker against said and an operating connection between the pedal yieldable means and operable by said yieldable and striker including a member having a slotted means to return either the'pedal'or the lever to connection with said lever. I 1

normal position. 8. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includ- 4. Door latch-bolt securing mechanism including a movable. latch bolt striker, and actuating ing a movable latch bolt. striker, a hand lever, a means for said striker including a pair of loose-' pedal, and an operating connection between the ly connected links, and independently operable pedal and striker including means alternately members, one of said members being connected actuable by and movable independently of said to one of said links, and the other of said memlever. V bers being loosely connected to the other of said 5. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includlinks ing a pivotally mounted latch bolt striker, a 9. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includ- 20 pedal, a lever, and an operating connection being a movable latch bolt striker, a lever, a pedal, tween said pedal and striker including two loosely an operating connection between the pedal and connected links, one being actuable by the lever striker including a part operable by the lever, and and movable longitudinally of the other. yieldable means normally holding the striker in L 6. Door latch bolt securing mechanism includoperative position to be engaged by a latch bolt 25 ing a movable latch bolt striker, apedal, a lever, and operable to restore the lever and pedal to an operating connection between said pedal and normal position after they have been operated. striker including two loosely connected links, one ANTHONY J. FABER. 

